Construction of sulphuric acid chambers



R. E. DIOR.

(CONSTRUCTION OF SULPHURIC ACID CHAMBERS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR; 25, 1921.

1 ,42626 1 Patented Afig. 15, 1922.

2 swans-sun 1f R. E. DIOR.

CONSTRUCTION OF SULPHURIC ACID CHAMBERS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 25, I921.

.1 42 2 1 Patented Aug- 15, 1922.

' EETS 2 SH SHEET 2.

Ia c I l I I I I l I I I I I I I I I l I I l I I I v I UNITED I sTA Es 313N 1 EMILE DIOR, or BILLANCOUR'I, FRANCE.

CONSTRUCTION 01 SULPHURIG-ACID CHAMBERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Au". 15,1922.

Application filed March 25, 1921. Serial No. 455,487.

Tacit whom it may concern Be it known that I, RiiNii EMILE DIOR, a French citizen, residing at Billancourt, Seine, France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Construction of Sulplmric-Aeid Chambers, of which the following is a specification. k I,

This invention relates to improvements in the construction of chambers used in the manufacture of sulphuric acid.

It consists informing the chambers ofinverted funnel shape tapering throughout, the inclination of the sides ofthe upper part being more nearly vertical than that of the lower part. The invention further consists in making each chamber of the-series decreasing in height to compensate for the diminution of the gaseous volume by the cooling of the gas and by the condensation producing sulphuric acid, the tallest chainber being connected to the Glover tower and the shortest one being connected to the Gay- Lussac tower.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig; l is a diagrammaticelevation of a series of four chambers constructed in ac cordance with the invention. I

F ig. 2 is an elevation (to an enlarged scale) ofa chamber constructed in accordance with the invention and showing means for supplying cooling water to the outside walls;

Fig. 3 is'a plan ofsamc.

Fig. 4 "is a vertical section through the top of a chamber showing arrangement for supplying sulphuric acid thereto.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section thro'ugh the top of another form of chamber showingarrangement for supplying sulphuric acid thereto.

Fig 6 is a verticalsection'through the'top of a chamber showing a further arrangement for supplying sulphuric acid adjacent to the inner walls thereof.

In carrying out the "invention it is found that tour chambers A A A A as shown in Fig. 1 are a suitable number to employ, and each chamber is formed of two frusto-conical portions a a, the sides of the lower portion a being of greater inclination to the vertical than those otthe upper portion a so that each chamber is 01 approximately the shape of an inverted funnel; The sides 'ofeach chamber are soldered to a base a or the-bottom edges may be immersed in an lar receptacle F.

acid bath so as to form a hydraulic seal. a. tube B open at both ends, may pass vertically through the chamber as shown is Figs. 2 and 4, to damp or control the eddies set up by the walls of the chamber and by the condensation formed due to'the cooling. The tube B may be replaced by any other means suitable for the purpose such asa jet of steam, atomized water or suitable diluted sulphuric acid injected at'the top of the chamber along its vertical "axis. Sucha jet should be as long as possible and must not meet the walls of the chamber otherwise the lead of which the chamber is composed might be attacked.

As shown in Figs. a, 5' and 6 an annular" groove c'is formed in the top of the chamber to I'QCGlVG'flIl inverted capC with toothed edges to allow a continuous pouring of S11l-- 13. or other suitable c'oncentration' along "the entn'einner surface of phuric acid of 53 the chamber.

The device may be replaced by or employed With a rotary re-acting turbine D as shown in Fig. 6 which will spread the liquid on to the inner surface of the'walls of the chamber or any other suitable device may be employed for this purpose.

Injectors c for atomized Water or diluted sulphuric acid mayjbe arranged either on the cap as shown in 'Fig. 5, or in the walls of the chamber as shown in Fig. 6, the jets being directed dowi'iwards.

here sulphuric acid is employed in the injector the ets can be directed towards water the jets the walls but in the case of must be directed towardsthe' vertical axis of thechamberso that the water will not come into contact with the walls and attack the lead.

- The outer srufac'e of the chamber is cooled by allowing the water to flow down the outside of the walls as shown in Fig. 2 from similar receptacle F termed at the upper part of the chamber A either through appertures at the groove or over a weir at the edge of the groove, the water being collected near the bottom by a second annu- VVhere the chamber E is proi'ii'ded with an inner tube B the inner walls of the pipe may i also be cooled by allowing a stream of water to flow down them.

Each chamber is provided with an outlet pipe 9 arranged near the top of the "chamber and with an inlet pipe g arranged near the l bottom. The pipes g and g are arranged tangentially to the walls of the chamber so that the gas will be forced or circulate spirally or in the form of a screw against the walls of the chamber.

In a battery of four chambers A A A A as shown in Fi 1 the chambers are arranged side by side the inlet 9 at the bottom of the first chamber A being connected to the Glover tower and the outlet 9 at the top of the first chamber to the inlet g at the. bottom of the second chamber A and so on, the outlet 9 from the top of the last chamber being connected to the Gay-Lussac tower. Each chamber is smaller in height than the preceding one to compensate for the diminution of the volume of the gas.

Although a battery of four chambers is shown in Fig. 1 any other convenient number can be employed.

As will be seen from the diagram shown in Fig. 1 the diluted acid produced in chambers A A and A is concentrated by being led back to supply the preceding chambers and the acid formed in chambers A and A is denitrated by some of the concentrated acid formedin chamber A being supplied thereto. This arrangement relieves the working of the Glover and Gay-Lussac towers and assists in the recovery of the nitrous compounds.

The principles on which the apparatus 1s designedjare as follows:-

1. The amount of sulphuric acid produced is a function of the surface of the chambers in contact with the re-acting gases and varying with the temperatures of the surface.

2. Sulphuric acid H SO is produced on the inner cooled surface by the contact and rubbing of the gas with diluted sulphuric acid already produced and flowing down the walls. The flowing of the diluted sulphuric acid can be artificially increased by the introduction ofpreviously prepared sulphuric acid suitably dilutedto about 53 Baum. The introduction of previously prepeared diluted sulphuric acid cools the gas circulating spirally or in the form of a screw against the walls separately or in combination with the cooling of the walls by a stream of water flowing down their outer surfaces.

3. The introduction of the whole or part of the necessary water for carrying out the reaction at the point where such reactions take place, i. e., at the walls and to intensify the reaction. 7

4. The concentration of the diluted acid produced in the second, third and fourth chambers and the denitration of the acid formed in the third and fourth chambers, so relieving the working of the Glover and Gay-Lussac towers and assisting in the recovery of the nitrous compounds.

The decreasing section of the outlet of the present chambers allows the gas in the of the method of cooling and partly because the water and acid introduced into the chamber circulate in the opposite direction to the pas, the gas passing from bottom to top in contact with the walls and the water and acid from top to bottom.

About 60 per cent of the acid produced is obtained from the first chamber and 40 per cent from the second chamber the third and fourth chambers being employed to finish the reaction and recover as much as possible of the nitrous acid before passing to the Gay-Lussac tower. To achieve this it is necessary to accurately regulate the quantity and strength of the steam or atomized water and acid in the third and fourth chambers. Fans or pumps are employed for including a draught to force the gases through the chambers. r

What I claim asmy invention and desire to protect by Letters Patent is 1. A chamber for use in the manufacture of sulphuric acid formed of two frustoconical portions disposedin upright position and the one portion superposed on and con nected to the remaining lower portion, the sides of the lower portion being of greater inclination to the vertical than the sides of the upper portion and the upper portion of the chamber forming a contracted enclosing area, an inlet connection to the lower portion of the chamber, and an outlet connection to the upper portion of the chamber.

2. A series of chambers for use in the manufacture of sulphuric acid each composed of two frusto-conical portions and having the side wall of the lower portion of greater inclination to the verticalthanthe side wall of the upper portion, each chamber decreasing in height regularly throughout the series of chambers to compensate for the diminution of the gaseous volume by the cooling of the gas and by the condensation producing the sulphuric acid.

3. A chamber for use in the manufacture of sulphuric acid formed of two frustoconical portions of different dimensions, the surrounding side wall of the lower portion being of greater inclination to the vertical than the side wall of the upper portion and the latter portion having a greater vertical extent than the lower portion, and inlet and outlet pipes arranged respectively tangentially to the enclosing side wall of the lower and upper portions of the chamber to cause the gas to circulate spirally against the walls of the chamber.

4. A chamber for use in the manufacture in a short distance of the top of the upper:

portion to damp or control the eddies setup by the Walls of the chamber and by the condensation of the gases.

5. A chamber for use in the manufacture of sulphuric acid formed of two frustoconical portions differing in diametrical and vertical extent and having the side Wall of the lower portion of greater inclination to the vertical than the side wall of the upper portion, and means associated With the chamber to damp or control the eddies set up by the Walls of the chamber and by the condensation of the gases.

6. A chamber for use in the manufacture of sulphuric acid formed of two frustoconical portions differing in diametrical and vertical extent and having the side Wall of the lower portion, Which is of greater diameter, of greater inclination to the vertical than the side Wall of the upper portion, and means on the outer portion of the walls of the chamber for causing a stream of Water to be supplied to and flow thereover to cool RENE EMILE DIOR. 

